Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop has come a long way in a short time but trainer Matthew Dale believes it’s just the start.
Fell Swoop, a winner of eight of his 13 starts, launches his Queensland Winter Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
All eight wins came from his first 10 starts with his only defeats in the sequence when on debut at Wagga in April, 2014 and a close fourth at Randwick in July last year.
The four-year-old was then thrown into the deep end during the recent Sydney and Melbourne autumn carnivals after being successful twice at Listed level in Melbourne last spring.
Fell Swoop was narrowly beaten when runner-up to Flamberge in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield before a close fourth in the Group 1 The Galaxy and second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 T J Smith, both at Randwick, in the autumn.
“He has stepped right up to the plate this preparation,” Dale said.
“All three runs have been super under the circumstances and he’s done well since.”
Fell Swoop is stabled at Matt Dunn’s property at Murwillumbah in a bid to keep him in a similar environment to his country surroundings at Canberra.
Dale is aware Fell Swoop has been up a long time but is hopeful he’ll complete his winter agenda which includes the Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben in a fortnight, the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
“He’s been in work since he started off getting ready for the Oakleigh Plate in February but he’s only had three runs and is coming off a month’s break,” Dale said.
“I don’t see any reason why he won’t compete in all four runs in the winter but if he shows any signs of training off I won’t hesitate to spell him.”
Dale believes Fell Swoop is still an emerging sprinter and was rapt with his autumn performances.
“I could have had a go on at the All Aged Stakes but I just felt that would have been it for this campaign,” he said.
“It probably means by coming here he’ll have a lighter spring but he’s done well since the T J Smith in Sydney.”
Fell Swoop will be ridden by Jay Ford who has replaced Damien Oliver following his suspension at Flemington on Monday.
“I’ve had a good association with Jay around Canberra and he’s a good tactician,” he said.
Ford is best remembered by Queenslanders as the rider of former champion sprinter Takeover Target who won the Doomben 10,000 in 2007.
– Racing Queensland
